What promotion would financially mean for Coventry City and Middlesbrough | OneFootball

What promotion might mean financially for Coventry City and Middlesbrough, should they secure it from the Championship to the Premier League.

Coventry City, Middlesbrough, and Ipswich Town are leading the way in the Championship in 2025/26, with promotion to the Premier League a distinct possibility.

Frank Lampard's Coventry City have led the way for most of the campaign so far, with Ipswich Town having to chase Middlesbrough down in second over recent months. The trio have been the pace setters for a while now.

Of course, it means that three of the teams in receipt of parachute payments are currently well out of the picture. Leicester City, Southampton, and Sheffield United have been off the pace for the vast majority of the campaign.

In each of the last six seasons, since 2018/19, at least two of the teams to gain promotion were in receipt of parachute payments. However, 2025/26 looks like it could buck the trend for the first time since Norwich City gained promotion alongside Sheffield United and Aston Villa.

Should Coventry and Middlesbrough gain promotion, they would then join a group of teams who benefit from the riches of the Premier League. They would also have a significant advantage via parachute payments, should they not make top flight football stick.

Championship promotion prize money and Premier League TV and commercial benefits

The question is just how much Coventry and Middlesbrough can expect to receive? The financial chasm between the Premier League and the Championship is extraordinary.

It’s no secret that EFL clubs want promotion from the second tier not because of the Championship’s modest prize money but rather due to the dizzying riches available in the Premier League.

The reason the average wages-to-turnover ratio in the second tier is over 100 percent is because owners are willing to roll the dice to make it to the promised land. Coventry and Middlesbrough have got themselves into this position via a number of calculated risks.

As for the money they can receive, broadly speaking, there are three interwoven answers: prize money from the EFL, increased revenue in the Premier League, and commercial gains.

The domestic TV deal is worth £6.7 billion over the next three seasons, per the BBC. That is shared between the clubs in the top flight based on appearances, although we don’t have the details for the facility fees under the terms of the new TV deal.

They will also receive centralised commercial fees on top of the facility fees, as well as merit payments. That is all while being entitled to possible parachute payments of two seasons, should they be relegated immediately back to the Championship.

All 20 teams in the division reportedly receive an equal share of around £95 million for domestic and international broadcasting. Across all of those areas, it means they will receive an extra £200 million of income — as a minimum.

The money Championship clubs can get from winning the play-offs at Wembkey

Coventry and Boro will be desperate to avoid slipping into the play-offs, but Ipswich are constantly hunting them both down. The Championship play-off final is often referred to as 'the richest game in football', though.

The lucrative money that victory under the arch at Wembley offers the likes of Cov, Ipswich, Middlesbrough, and around 12 other clubs with a realistic chance of getting into the top six is nothing short of game-changing based off historical evidence.

Whilst some might think that the league winners would receive the most money for promotion, that isn't the case. Ahead of the play-offs last season, Deloitte indicates that the victorious side could see an increase in their revenue.

That is of at least £170 million in the next three seasons. This could also rise as high as £290 million if they survive their first season in the Premier League. However, irrespective of promotion automatically or via the play-offs, the cash would be transformational for both clubs.

Boro last played Premier League football in 2016/17 but it's fair to say that the wealth of the league has skyrocketed to new heights since then. Coventry, meanwhile, have been without it since 2000/01, highlighting just how transformational it could truly be for Doug King and co.